VHF handheld radios

ncanteiro · 29 August 2005, 09:50

Can someone give me some feedback on VHF handheld radios.
I'm looking for a economic handheld.

Thanks

ollyit · 29 August 2005, 10:00

I'm in the same boat, I know were you can buy a brand new silva s12 handheld for £85, fullywaterproof

ncanteiro · 29 August 2005, 10:10

Where can I buy a Silva S12 for £85 ?

ollyit · 29 August 2005, 10:20

Place called Pumpkin marine in hayling island, im going to get one, with the postage added on it may be the same for what you can get it for i dont know -

stan_deezy · 29 August 2005, 11:11

Can I recommend this radio: Swiftech M298

look at this price: £59.95 and it is a rebadged Silva iirc(!)

http://www.redcar-fish.co.uk/product...cats.asp?id=48

(ps hope this doesn't break any rules?)

I have owned one for five years now and it is perfect. Good transmission and reception and very rugged. Spare batteries and chargers (including in-car) are available at a reasonable price

As a budget buy I'd rate it at 100%

ps: it isn't waterproof but a waterproof cost me £7 at a chandlery....

ncanteiro · 29 August 2005, 11:11

Do you have they phone number ?

Thanks

Carrick · 29 August 2005, 13:13

Try e-bays Uniden Atlantis 250, about £60 - woz ere in less than a week from the states, not erd mush traffic on it but!

Rogue Wave · 29 August 2005, 18:35

I have been driving a dive rib and an FRC in the north sea for the last couple of months we use Standard Horizons and I am really impressed with them. they get a bit of a hiding and you they don mind the odd splash

I shall probably buy some myself when my present portable fails

Alex Brown · 29 August 2005, 19:07

I have had a standard portable vhf now for a few years attached to my lifejacket - it's bounced, and taken lots of water to it without problem. It charges from the cigar lighter in the van most of the time so it's always ready. I have a feeling it's also intrinsicly safe (however you spell that).

Also can recommend the little Icoms - we use them at work and they are very good units indeed.

You'll get what you pay for with the quality of these units.

-Alex

LURCHER · 29 August 2005, 21:56

Best thing about Standard if you live in the South is that their service depot is in Winchester and they returned my handheld after I had broken it in less thand 36 hours !

DM · 29 August 2005, 22:47

Standard Horizon 270 is what I use. Made by Yaesu. Waterproof and very compact but the clip is easy to lose. I know this because I've lost it so I cannot be accused of giving an opinion about something I know bugger all about.

Another advantage is that you don't get the sales manager boring you to death with how wonderful they are

DM

Biggles · 29 August 2005, 22:59

Dave,

How much is that radio ?

regards Nick R.

DM · 29 August 2005, 23:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggles

How much is that radio ?

I paid just over a hundred quid from Nautequipe in Hartlebury, Worcs, but I think that was heavily discounted because I'm tall dark and handsome.

DM

Tim M · 29 August 2005, 23:17

I've had two of these and both have broken; first one stopped working after it started smoking and blew up. On the second one the speaker no longer works so I have to use an ear-piece if I want to use it. I suppose I should have used a waterproof case (although I never got it wet) - the second one didn't even see the sea before it went wrong!

Quote:

Originally Posted by stan_deezy

Can I recommend this radio: Swiftech M298

look at this price: £59.95 and it is a rebadged Silva iirc(!)

http://www.redcar-fish.co.uk/product...cats.asp?id=48

(ps hope this doesn't break any rules?)

I have owned one for five years now and it is perfect. Good transmission and reception and very rugged. Spare batteries and chargers (including in-car) are available at a reasonable price

As a budget buy I'd rate it at 100%

ps: it isn't waterproof but a waterproof cost me £7 at a chandlery....

ncanteiro · 29 August 2005, 23:17

You can get it from Nautequipe for £137.46 including postage

Rogue Wave · 29 August 2005, 23:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmanning

I paid just over a hundred quid from Nautequipe in Hartlebury, Worcs, but I think that was heavily discounted because I'm tall dark and handsome.

DM

your certainly dark!

Nos4r2 · 31 August 2005, 00:18

Why use a portable? I've got a Cobra marine waterproof fixed DSC radio on my sr4 with a metz manta-6 stainless whip and I'm picking up Brixham coastguard and Cherbourg radio from Poole. Excellent setup, and it all came to around £175 including P&P-all from ebay. I just unplug it all when the boat's in storage. Advantage being, I can't lose it...

hard1 · 31 August 2005, 03:17

As an amusing aside to this thread, the blurb on the back of the Silva S12 reads: "Not to be used in distress or emergency"

I sh1t you not!

codprawn · 31 August 2005, 03:28

That is just as bad as the chart plotters saying "not to be used for navigation"!!!

roycruse · 31 August 2005, 10:07

http://www.jgtech.co.uk/shop3.htm have several handheld VHF radios for under £100

I have bought vhf and chartplotter from them before.